


Disturbance

by shawolxaddict



Category: Kpop - Fandom, SHINee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, F/M, KPop, M/M, Older Woman/Younger Man, Slow Build, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-22
Updated: 2013-07-07
Packaged: 2017-12-15 19:26:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/853180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shawolxaddict/pseuds/shawolxaddict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>HELP WANTED<br/>Assistant needed for dance instructor. Dance and secretary experience required. </p><p>Boa just wanted an assistant. She didn’t realize that job posting would change anything in her life. Or that this summer would probably be the best and worst summer of her life.</p><p>(Or the one where Boa is lusting after her new assistant and doesn't realize he's lusting back.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Help Wanted

**Author's Note:**

> I loved the disturbance video and this idea popped into my head. Changed Boa and Taemin’s age a little to fit the story.
> 
> Also posted on my AFF (asianfanfics) account.

Boa had put the sign up a week ago on the door and on some places online. She didn’t think it would be that hard to find an assistant and knew there was always a struggling dancer somewhere. She had resigned herself by the end of the week that no one would want to work here.

 

Saturday she woke up and started getting ready. Boa was committed to her work and actually lived in the one bedroom apartment above it. Her room was average sized and lead out to her living room/kitchen area. There was a bathroom, it had a tub and sink and toilet all crammed as close as possible together. She sometimes wondered if it had just been a plain closet when she moved in. It was small but it worked since she lived alone and wasn’t looking to start having children just yet. (Or she was single and alone as her mother reminded her when she called).

 

Her usual nine o’clock lesson had called and cancelled. So she could relax until her 10 o’clock group walk in ballroom lessons started. They were always more fun anyway because she got new people and regulars every time. They were cheaper and you paid as you came in.

 

Boa pulled her hair back into a neat bun and didn’t put on any make up. She put on a pink leotard with a flowing black skirt and heels. She had a bowl of cereal and sat on her couch to eat.

 

 _I need a television_. She thought to herself. It was the same thought the woman had almost every day but she never actually bought one. She went downstairs to open up the place. The waiting area they had was bigger than normal only because she knew from experience that parents liked to watch the childrens lessons. The wall that had the door to the dance studio was made of two way mirror. The rest of the room was simple and had a carpet floor and white painted walls.

 

When she went to unlock the entrance she found a surprise. There was a man - or boy - she couldn’t tell, sitting on the three steps leading up to the door. She pulled back from the door because she remembered being mugged one of the first nights living on her own. It was almost like he could sense her though and whipped his head around.

 

He was beautiful. He had a small face with some baby fat and plump lips. As the boy ( _He has to be in high school_ ) stood she saw how slim he was. She relaxed a little as she realized he was holding the sign that was on the door. He wanted the job.

 

*

Boa decided to interview the him, Lee Taemin, in the waiting room.

 

“So, how long have you been a trained dancer?” She asked looking him in the eyes.

 

“Since I was five, I’m twenty now,” He explained softly. He met her eyes as he stated his age and then quickly averted them. He seemed shy to her.

 

“That’s good, any work as a secretary?” She asked. It seemed odd he would just show up. _He must live nearby. Especially if he didn’t call._

 

“A year at a hotel. I was also a bank teller. A waiter for two years before that,” Taemin spit out nervously. He chewed on his lips and it seemed he was worried about saying too little or too much.

 

“That’s great,” She smiled and looked at her watch. It was fifteen minutes until ten. “How about this; I let today be your trial run?” She stood as she explained and he jumped up to follow her. “Here is the receptionist desk. Only one phone but we don’t get a lot of calls. People usually call about times and prices. Here is a list of prices for our walk in group, scheduled group, private, and couple lessons. These are times for the walk in group classes.”

 

She kept glancing at him and his eyes were trained on the desk the whole time. She may have also been checking him out but it showed that he paid attention. _I still can’t believe he is twenty. If only he were older my mom would- Oh GOD let me stop now._

 

“I have a woman who comes in but she doesn’t get here until half past ten and has to leave by four. You will have to get here by nine everyday. Is that a problem?” She asked as she stood straight up. He took a second to realize he was being asked something and shook his head.

 

Boa had a sudden urge to reach out and run her hands through his hair. It was short, he had bangs, brown hair, and it had curls to it as well. It wasn’t that spectacular but she found herself wanting to feel it.

 

“What do I do when I’m not being a reception?” He shuffled nervously. Taemin was wearing a cardigan and tank top underneath with jeans but Boa noticed the tights poking over the edge of his jeans. She smiled at this.

 

“You dance and you do what I tell you. I will  have a list of things usually but if not, and for today you assist me in here,” Boa opened the door to the studio and motioned him inside. The studio was simple. There was a wall of mirrors to the right and the two way mirror wall that they went through. The other two walls were bare and had bars. There was a small stereo she used to play music but she used her laptop for the most part. That was only for the free time like warm ups and break where she put in a mix CD.

 

She saw Taemin relax for the first time since he had been in her presence. His shoulders went down and she heard him take a breath. When he turned slowly just looking at the room he had a little smile on his face.

 

“Alright I have to warm up a little,” She explained. He nodded with a smile and headed back to the waiting room.

 

She may have showed off a tiny bit knowing he might be watching her. _He’s a baby, he’s a baby, he’s a cute baby who can dance apparently but still a baby._

 

*

Her receptionist, Lee Hyori, came in and was her usual bubbly self. Boa could tell she was here because she could hear her laugh over the music but also because Taemin quietly stuck his head in. She used him to start and stop the music at first. Then she realized she had an assistant who could help her demonstrate moves.

 

“Class this is Taemin. He is my assistant now, here’s a new move we’re going to try,” Boa explained. Today they were going over the tango. Soon his arms were around her and stronger than she imagined. As they moved through the step she noticed this was not his first time dancing the tango. Boa locked eyes with Taemin and his eyes seemed to be on fire. He was in dance mode now. They flowed easily together and Boa longed to dance with him again once it was over.

 

She stepped back and realized he was probably one of the best partners she had done that with. Boa may have made him dance with her more than necessary that class but she loved the transformation. The small withdrawn boy turned into something else when he danced. He had this spark in his eye that she wanted to see over and over again.

 

*

She had a group lesson, ballet, at eleven and then went on break at twelve. The group lesson was for these five girls who entered competitions and their moms were hard asses. After fending them off she pulled a chair down next to Hyori.

 

“I hate dance moms. So annoying,” Hyori whispered to her. Boa couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Reminds me of my mom,” Taemin said quietly. Hyori nodded as she pulled out a magazine.

 

“So, boss lady, what are we getting for lunch?” The receptionist asked. Boa shrugged.

 

“Ramen?” Boa asked. Hyori shook her head and scrunched her nose.

 

“Unhealthy,” She mumbled.

 

“We could order pizza? From that place down the street?” Taemin offered. Boa was about to point out that pizza was even more unhealthy than ramen when Hyori shoved money in his hand.

 

“One large,” was all Hyori said before she shoved Taemin out the door. As soon as the door was closed she squealed. “Where did you get his yummy behind?” Boa rolled her eyes.

 

“He was sitting on my steps and he wanted the job,” Boa explained.

 

“How old is he?” She asked eagerly.

 

“Twenty and no that is not-”

 

“So cute, get them young before someone else latches onto them and spoils them,” Hyori said with a devious smile.

 

“Aren’t you dating someone?” Boa narrowed her eyes at her friend.

 

“Yeah but it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate from afar,” Hyori shrugged. “Oh yeah your mother called me-”

 

“Oh God what now?” Boa rubbed her temple as she braced herself. Her mom usually called others because she wanted something done to her. It was never good.

 

“She wants grandkids, I say just visit a sperm bank or have a one night stand but she definitely wants you to be married,” Hyori offered. Boa frowns at her friend.

 

“Where’s my assistant?”

 

*

Taemin didn’t speak much at lunch and the two women chatted away. He however did eat half the pizza himself.

 

“Hey Taemin how about we go through some other moves as well? How many styles have you danced?”

 

“Tap, ballet, jazz, ballroom, and hip hop. I am best at ballroom and ballet,” Taemin explained. Boa raised her eyebrows.

 

“Wow did you ever rest?” She asked him and noticed he was blushing. _That’s not cute, that’s so not attractive at all._

 

“My grandmother owned a dance studio. I danced every day and did a lot of ballets and ballroom competitions,” Taemin explained. Boa was impressed. She had to pay her way when she got in high school  to afford her lessons because her parents thought it was a hobby.

 

The older woman went to her laptop and put on a waltz song. Taemin held his arms out as she placed her right hand in his. She curved back and turned her head. It was a simple dance and before Boa knew it it was one and her couple class scheduled was clapping for them. Hyori was standing in the doorway with her eyebrows up but she was wearing a knowing smirk.

 

*

  
  


Boa thought Taemin was an angel. She thought he was literally a God sent angel put there to be the perfect assistant. He was great with her children’s class and danced fabulous when needed. He didn’t talk much though. He was quiet and came in on time and closed at nine every night; except Sundays when  they had off.

 

Boa didn’t notice anything odd at first. Then she noticed his clothing choice. (It was not because she wanted to get in his pants as Hyori pointed out). He wore the same jeans three times. He only had three tank tops and one other cardigan. She knew people liked certain clothes but she thought this was a bit much. It was exactly a week after she had hired him when she decided to try and figure out if her suspicions were true.

 

“So, you grew up with your grandma?” Boa asked while they were sitting on the dance studio floor.

 

“Yeah,” He mumbled while filling out papers for his tax information. (Boa had neglected to get them and thought it was okay to pay him with cash like she had planned but apparently Hyori was concerned about everything being legal. Boa still thought it was because Hyori wanted to make sure Taemin was actually over eighteen.)

 

He was laying on his stomach and kicking his feet in the air. She was sitting cross legged next to him. It was twelve and they were taking their usual break while they wait for chinese food to be delivered.

 

“So did your parents pass away?” Boa asked quietly. As soon as the words were out her mouth she realized that they were too much. What if he wanted it to be private? What if parents died horrifically?

 

“No,” He said with a smile. He looked up at her then. “They worked for a company that was expanding while I grew. They traveled a lot and had my grandmother stay with me while they were gone. Is it weird that my grandma is one of my best friends?” He smiled a little at that and Boa couldn’t help but grin back.

 

“Yeah I guess that was drastic,” She said with a laugh. She went up to twirl her hair but realized it was in a bun. Oh no. Boa only twirled her hair when she was nervous or flirting. She quickly smoothed her hair back to make it seem like that’s what she meant to do.

 

“So your parents are both alive or no?” Taemin asked as he sat up. He asked it as a joke though.

 

“Yeah both alive and kicking. Every time they call it’s about the same thing,” Boa explains fondly.

 

“Kids?” Taemin guessed. Boa was surprised. “Already getting the speech about what I plan on doing with my life and stuff. I keep repeating that I am only twenty but then my grandma launches into how she already had her first child by then.” Boa had to laugh at that.

 

It turned into one of those laughs that builds and they were both on their sides cracking up before they knew it.

 

“What’s so funny?” Hyori called from the door. It startles them both into silence. She raises her eyebrows. “I’m not giving you food until you tell me why you two are laughing like hyenas.”

 

Hyori gives them food anyway but Boa never got to ask what she wanted.

 

*

It’s Monday when she realizes she doesn’t have Taemin’s number. He’s sitting at the receptionist desk while her student, a twenty year old primadonna, warms up. It’s nine in the morning and she couldn’t sleep well because it had rained. Taemin had come in with soaked hair and a cough.

 

He claimed that he just caught the rain this morning but he wasn’t just wet. He looked like he had just taken a bath with his clothes on. She can’t stand looking at him any longer.

 

“Taemin when Hyori gets here can you come get me? I have to discuss  something with you,” She says simply. Taemin looks at her with this look. It surprises her. His eyes look like they grow two times bigger and he has a pout. _I just want to pet him and give him a cookie. And then make out with him._ “You’re not in trouble,” Is what she says instead because she is sure Taemin doesn’t want to kiss her.

 

When Hyori does arrive Taemin peeks his head in. She was doing a couples lesson as they prepared for their wedding.

 

“I’ll be right back. Keep practicing,” She quickly. She guides Taemin out the door and up the stairs. She ignores the low whistle Hyori gives them. Boa opens the door to her apartment and steps in. “I know this is weird but you need to change clothes and I have some oversized shirts and sweatpants. Those clothes are soaked.”

 

“Oh no you don’t have to-” He starts.

 

“I want to,” She cuts him off as she heads toward her bedroom. She quickly finds the items and came back out. “Here, there’s the bathroom. Here is a clean towel.” She pulls one out from the hall closet and pushes them in his hands.

 

When she finally stops she realizes Taemin is frozen in his place. He is looking around the room and honestly she should have expected this. When Boa moved in she kind of had trouble actually moving in. She hadn’t painted the walls or put any pictures up. She had only taken out some clothes but not much else. She was having trouble accepting certain things about her past.

 

“Taemin?” She asked. He came out of his stupor at his words and bowed his head. He went into the bathroom quickly. That’s when Boa only had one worry. _Shit.. did I put my tampons away? I didn’t leave my bra hanging off the door hanger again did I? Man I should really clean up the kitchen._

 

She started tidying up a bit and cleaned some dishes when Taemin came out of the bathroom. He was wearing the plain white t-shirt and gray sweatpants. The shirt was long enough but the sweats stopped above his ankles. She giggled a little at that and Taemin glared at her.

 

“Okay, sorry. Those are the longest ones I have,” Boa explains.

 

“I should’ve known,” Taemin mumbled. “You are, you know, smaller than me,” Is all he says.

 

This time she glares at him for politely calling her short. They head back downstairs and the day passes as normal. It’s when her and Taemin are cleaning. He’s sweeping while she is washing the mirrors. (Or she’s checking out his ass in the mirror while he’s not looking).

 

“So um, I’m gonna need your phone number in case people cancel, I don’t want you coming in early for no reason,” She slows her hand from circling the mirror as she realizes Taemin has stopped sweeping.

 

“I don’t have one,” Taemin mumbles. “I-I’m working on getting one.” She doesn’t  want to hold it in anymore so she just says it.

 

“Are you homeless?” Boa asks. Taemin frowns doesn’t respond. Boa automatically keeps talking. “Where do you stay? I pay you well enough but you don’t seem to have a place to stay?”

 

“Student loans and paying for my grandmothers place. She stays in the hospital now,” He whispers the information.

 

“Your parents?” Boa asks softly. She sees his pained expression and decides not to press. “Okay parents suck. How about this. My couch?”

 

“What? I can’t do that! This is dumb and you barely know me,” Taemin says as he looks at her, finally. He has that same fiery expression but this time there is a hint of embarrassment.

 

It’s true; this is kind of stupid. She’s only known the guy for a little over two weeks and she is already asking him to move in. However, she had looked at his criminal record and he was squeaky clean.

 

“What if I charged you rent?” Boa asked. He seemed to relax at that. He was vulnerable at the moment.

 

“Okay I guess that would be reasonable,” Taemin said sheepishly. In a few minutes it was settled. She would take half the rent out of his paycheck and he was moving in tomorrow morning.

 

They finished cleaning for the night and said their goodbyes. As Boa lay in bed that night she realized something.

 

She was going to have a roommate tomorrow. A hot young roommate who she may be lusting after.

 

(She woke up an hour later and bought a futon. Put it together in the same night and put the couch on the curb. That’s where she got the couch originally anyway. And she may have actually unpacked a little and moved some of her boxes from the living room, just some.)


	2. Roommates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's there first day together and Taemin reveals a secret to Boa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little shorter then the first chapter but I really wanted to introduce their back story a bit. I would have typed more but I needed to update and I stopped at the perfect spot.

Boa was a nervous wreck the next morning. (Inviting someone to  live with you, after two weeks, really?) She was up at six in the morning cleaning her bathroom. She always did this when she got nervous. She once cleaned her whole house before a date with someone she really liked.

 

Boa gets all the boxes moved and her stuff actually unpacked. She’s not sure where she wants to put the photos she has or the posters just yet so she stuffs them under her bed. Boa looks around her living room and realizes the walls are bare. They are white and have nothing on them.

 

“When did I become so boring?” She whispers to herself. Before continuing the thought the woman is distracted by hearing the bell. It seems Taemin is here. She wonders to herself when it became half past seven.

 

~

Taemin only has one bag of clothes. They are mostly dance clothes and he has some dance shoes. He doesn’t have a phone or laptop. There really is no moving in to be done. He sticks his bag in the closet that’s in her kitchen/living room area.

 

“Since it’s so early, you wanna go to the cafe across the street? My treat?” She asks him.

 

“Is this you trying to tell me you can’t cook?” Taemin responds. He says it in a light voice and he has a smile on his face so Boa let’s it go.

 

(She can’t cook but she can’t admit that because it’s weird. And she really does try but after she burned water in high school her mother wouldn’t let her near the kitchen.)

 

They talk and eat at the cafe. They learn a little more about each other. Taemin grew up in South Korea and came to America when he was in high school. He went to college and finished in three years. He has a degree in dance and a minor in music.

 

“You need to sing for me one day,” Boa says.

 

“No,” Taemin says. He shakes his head and continues drinking his coffee.

 

“Are you trying to tell me you can’t sing?” She asks teasingly. She laughs when he shoots her a glare.

 

Taemin learns that Boa grew up in South Korea and only came to America because her parents wanted her to go to an American college. She has a two degrees, one in music and the other in dance. She went back for Education and decided to stay in America then.

 

“You only stayed for education?” Taemin asks.

 

“Yeah, and well, there was this guy,” Boa says. Taemin rolls his eyes.

“It’s always a guy,” her younger counterpart whispered.

 

Boa nods. It wasn’t a great relationship and she was really stupid to stay just for him. They broke up a month after she graduated with her education degree. She moved out of their apartment and moved into her own place.She was twenty five and alone.

 

“I thought about getting my masters but I just moved around and taught at different places. I even did some musicals. It wasn’t enough though. I saw a for rent sign on this place,” Boa looked across at the studio. “I was bored and in a rut. What else was there to do?”

 

“Yeah,” Taemin whispered. It was an oddly intimate moment it seemed.

 

~

At lunch Hyori realizes Taemin has moved in when he runs upstairs to get his tap shoes. She cocks her head to the side at Boa.

 

“So how’s the sex?” She says simply.

 

Boa chokes and spits up her drink. Before she can reply Taemin is back. She settles on a glare at her now giggling friend.

 

~

Taemin and her are closing up when she gets nervous. Taemin was going to spend the night but she needed to relax. He was staying in the living room and she would be in her bed.

 

The new roommates head up to the apartment at 9:30. Taemin flops onto the futon. Boa is unsure about whether to stay and chat or go to her room. She usually just goes on her laptop and watches Netflix. (It’s at this moment she realizes how deprived she is of human contact because she had a Doctor Who marathon last weekend and she has seen all the episodes. Twice.)

 

Basically her only human interaction is through dance and Hyori. She doesn’t have a casual setting. She tries to relax like this morning and talk to Taemin.

 

“So, um, you never told me where you were staying before?” She winces when she realizes she started with a possibly heavy subject.

 

Taemin sits up at the question but he doesn’t look upset. He looks like he’s considering.

 

“I stayed with my, um, boyfriend,” Taemin whispered. And it seemed like Boa was punched in the stomach. He was gay. Of course he was gay, there was no way he could be into her.

 

“Please tell me you don’t have a problem with me being bisexual?” Taemin asked. He looked like he was about to cry. Boa’s emotions were clear on her face and she wore a look of horror. He had mistaken that horror as disgust for who he was.

 

“No! Oh my god I am so sorry. I have no problem with who you’re attracted to,” Boa stated relieved. She meant it too. She had no problem with him being attracted to women and men. Especially if it meant she still had a chance, a very very slim chance.

 

“Thanks, my parents were clearly not as accepting,” He said softly. And now everything clicked.

 

Why would a poor college student who had well standing parents be struggling in America by himself? He was slightly disowned.

 

“So, when did your boyfriend kick you out?” the older woman sat next to him with the question.

 

They fell into an easy rhythm like this morning. Taemin’s boyfriend had kicked him out when Taemin refused to tell his parents about him. Taemin didn’t want to tell his parents because it wouldn’t matter. They didn’t approve of him and he sent letters to them but didn’t get a response. His mother sent him a card with money on christmas and his birthday. They sent them to his grandmother though so he had to see her to get it.

 

“I’ve been staying at train stations and I just got a bartending job. I just started this past weekend. I go on Saturdays and Sundays. They let me sleep in the bar until I had to be here on Monday, but now it looks like I have a place to stay,” Taemin was smiling by the end of it.

 

“Well now you have here, no need to sleep in bars, or train stations anymore,” She explained.

 

“Thank you Noona,” Taemin whispered.

 

Wow, that shouldn’t be a turn on. But it was. He was looking at her so earnestly and he bit his lip. He had such beautiful eyes too. She had been called Noona by some of her younger guy friends back in high school but she was never attracted to them. This was different.

 

“Your welcome, okay I’m going to bed now. There’s food in the fridge go ahead and enjoy yourself,” Boa explained. She quickly went to her room and didn’t come out the rest of the night.

 

(No she did not have a dream about Taemin and the things he could possibly be doing while calling her Noona. Nope. Didn’t happen.)

  
  
  



	3. Sweet Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought it would be a good idea to give a floor plan to aide what the apartment looks like. 
> 
> http://gracelodge.com/oldsite/09235ce0.png
> 
> Enjoy!

In hindsight Boa probably should have mentioned her worst sleeping habit. When she wakes up that morning she is laying on her living room floor. Taemin is looking down at her from the futon.

 

“So, you dance, talk, and sing in your sleep. And here I thought you were so put together,” Taemin said softly to her. There was a smirk on his lips.

 

She rolled over onto her stomach and groaned. “What happened?”

 

“You know all the words to an italian song that you sang very well. You also mentioned how you wanted to have a baby and whether going to a sperm bank was too shameful,” He said it without making fun of her but seemed amused by it.

 

She hopes she didn’t say anything else. Her sleep walking, talking, and whatever else she gets up to is like giving her alcohol. Boa always speaks the truth in her sleep. The truth of her crush on her assitant hopefully did not come out.

 

~

 

Taemin spends the day happier than normal. He kept glancing at her when she was teaching. It was as if they had their own little secret. It was their secret though because even Hyori didn’t know about it.

 

~

 

The next morning she wakes up curled in the dance studio. It takes a second to realize she has a blanket over her and she smells coffee.

 

Taemin is leaning against the mirror with a cup in his hands and another next to him.

 

“You really like the nutcracker,” He states. His eyes crinkle as he smiles over his cup.

 

She rolls over and rubs her face. “I was in it for two years while I was at college. I still watch it every christmas,” She whispers.

 

~

 

The week continues and so does the sleep walking. She wakes up mostly on the living room floor. Taemin doesn’t grow sick of it and it seems to bring them closer. She sometimes isn’t so coherent in her sleep so Taemin asks in the morning.

 

It’s Friday night and they are having a bonding moments over her mentioning an ex-boyfriend. He learns that she’s only had two boyfriends in her life. The reason being shyness and the fact that she was too into her dance training at certain times..

 

Taemin was oddly the opposite of her. He has had three relationship, his third being his most recent. His first one was with a girl and ended quickly when he started questioning his sexuality. His second one was a secret and was what outed him to his parents.

 

“Getting caught half naked wasn’t the worst, it was when my parents sat me down later that was the most disappointing,” Taemin whispered softly as he sat on her bed. She was laying there with ice on her legs.

 

“It’s okay, maybe eventually they will understand, not now, but later on in your life,” Boa says softly. She reached forward and rubbed his shoulder.

 

They had taken to having Taemin waiting while she went to sleep. He sits next to her and when she wakes in her sleep he tries to get her not to dance. All that extra night dancing was taxing her physically and it needed to be calmed down.

 

Taemin even said he would video tape her while she sleep walked since she had never seen herself do it. Boa relaxed into the pillows and drifted off to Taemin humming softly.

 

~

The next morning she wakes up in her bed still but with Taemin curled up next to her. He has the camera in his hands. She smiles softly as she looks at him. She decides to let him sleep a little longer.

 

Boa is drinking tea in the living room when he walks groggily into the room. He stops and smiles triumphantly.

 

“I got it all!” He gives her the camera as he heads to the bathroom.

 

~

She shakes her head as the video plays. She has the camera close to her face as she sees it all. It honestly looks like she’s drunk; except when she dances.

 

It’s as if life was breathed into her.

 

~

Around lunch Taemin brings up the apartment.

 

“Why don’t we hang some of the pictures you have? There are some really nice paintings I saw in your room last night,” Taemin says as they lounge on futon.

 

“Those paintings are under my bed,” She explains as she narrows her eyes at him.

 

“Well, when you fell asleep the first time I was kind of bored,” Taemin says a little guiltily.

 

“Okay we can hang them up,” She agrees as she stands.

 

“And can we, um, get a tv? We can even keep it in your room and-”

 

“Sure,” Boa cuts him off..

 

“Really? Awesome!” Taemin hops up excitedly.

 

~

“That tv is too small,” Taemin whines.

 

“You have said that about every TV I point out,” Boa says.

 

They are standing in front of a fifteen inch TV. Boa is exasperated with him by now.

 

“Let’s get a twenty inch then,” He suggests. He walks farther down the aisle and stands in front of one. “It’s a flat screen too.”

 

She caves for it because she is actually sick of walking around.

 

They head out and are lifting the TV to fit into the trunk when they hear laughing. Boa looks behind Taemin as the other turns. The turning was a natural reaction but Taemin’s wasn’t. As soon as he saw them, two males holding hands, he tried to get into the car as fast as possible.

 

Boa shut the trunk and didn’t mention it. She climbs into the driver seat and looks at him. He looked so angry. The older woman had never seen him this way.

 

As she started to drive out of the parking lot the silence seemed to get to him.

 

“I can’t believe he is fucking dating someone already,” He shouts. “I JUST moved out. Literally a couple weeks ago! He is such a fucking slut. I knew he was seeing someone else. I knew it just wasn’t about my parents. This is such bullshit.”

 

He spends the rest of the car ride trash talking his boyfriend and explaining the bad habits his boyfriend had. By the time they reached the apartment he was smiling again.

 

~

“You only have basic cable?” Taemin asks. He is flipping through the channels while sitting cross legged on her bed. He’s only in a tank top and jeaned shorts. No socks. Boa tries not to stare as she picks out an outfit. He has a very lean yet muscular figure that she can’t help notice.

 

“Yeah, I never thought I really needed anything else,” She explained as she held a dress up to herself.

 

She was going to meet her mother for dinner tonight. He mother was paying so she didn’t complain but it also meant that it was going to be an expensive night.

 

“That looks pretty,” Taemin said. His full attention was on her now. “Hey, do you mind if I invite a friend over tonight?” Taemin had finally got himself a cell phone this week. “He and I used to drag competitions together.”

 

Boa knew about the competitions already and she knew he had made his four closest friends through them. It was odd that she already knew this so soon but she figured they were just becoming fast friends.

 

“Yeah it’s fine. You live here too, and tomorrow’s Sunday so I was planning on testing out this TV anyway,” She replied.

 

(She wore the dress that Taemin thought looked pretty. It was so not because of him, totally not.)

~

She was trudging up the stairs to her apartment a little upset. Her mother had noted she was a little less gloomy. Her mother also fished out that she had a new roommate, who is a male, and decided she would be stopping in on one of her classes to see this new roommate.

 

She sighs as she reaches her door. It was only ten so she prepared herself for Taemin and his friends before she opened the door.

 

“Noona!” A drunk Taemin shouted as she opened the door. The futon had been pushed flush against the wall and in the middle of her living room floor were her house guests.

 

The rest of the boys bowed their heads and said their names one by one. The only interesting name she heard was Key, which had to be a nickname because Korean parents do not give english names often.

 

It was an interesting sight. She saw Taemin the way he acted around his friends and was pleasantly surprised. He acted the same towards them as her. It meant he really thought of her as a friend.

 

~

Boa awoke the next morning feeling as if there was something lying on top of her. She tried to move but didn’t get anywhere before someone was clinging to her. She heard a giggle and whipped her head around to see Taemin snapping a picture.

 

“Y-you brat!” Boa shouted automatically. She started to shove at the boy, who was Key, and he finally moved.

 

Boa chased Taemin for a little but decided that he could have the photo. She didn’t have a facebook anyway. She had it in college but ended up deleting it when she realized it wasn’t necessary.

 

While she is making breakfast, cereal again, the other four boys disappear with excuses of work and relationships.

 

As she plops down on the futon, which is back to it’s original position, Taemin shocks her with a question.

 

“So, what do you think about going on a date?” He asks from where he’s standing in the kitchen area. Boa is too shocked to respond at first.

 

“I um, s-sure,” She answered excitedly.

 


End file.
